Dublin, CA Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Dublin does not have a dedicated ordinance for barbecue smokers; they are treated as open-flame cooking devices under the California Fire Code the city adopts in Dublin Municipal Code Chapter 5.08, enforced by the Alameda County Fire Department. California Fire Code Section 308.1.4 provides that charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices, which includes charcoal and wood-fired smokers, shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction. The exceptions are the same as for grills: one- and two-family dwellings, and buildings (including balconies and decks) protected by an automatic sprinkler system. As a result, residents of single-family homes may use a backyard smoker, while apartment and condominium residents generally cannot operate a charcoal, pellet, or wood smoker on a balcony or near combustible walls unless the building is sprinklered. Because smokers run for many hours and produce continuous smoke, users should also be mindful of nuisance smoke affecting neighbors and should not operate wood-burning smokers in a way that would conflict with BAAQMD wood-smoke guidance during Spare the Air alerts. Operators should keep smokers a safe distance from structures, fences, and overhangs, use them on a non-combustible surface, and never leave them unattended.